Controversial Nigerian businessman and socialite Ismaila Mustapha, also known as Mompha, has slammed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for associating him with the arraignment of Sarumi Samusudeen Babafemi, whom the agency described in its statement as one of his associates.
The EFCC in its statement said Babafemi alongside his companies, 606 Autos Limited, 606 Music Limited, and Splash Off Entertainment Limited, were arraigned on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, concealment, and transfer of proceeds of crime to the tune of N206,000,000 (Two Hundred and Six Million Naira), contrary to Section 332(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011, and punishable under Section 332(3) of the same law.
The agency said before Justice Rahman Oshodi, the defendant pleaded “not guilty” to the charge preferred against him.
The anti-graft agency said in view of the defendant’s “not guilty” plea, the prosecution counsel, Ayanfe Ogunsina, asked the court to fix a date for the commencement of the trial and also urged that the defendant be remanded at a correctional centre.
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However, the defence counsel, Kunle Adegoke (SAN), informed the court that he had only received the charge the previous day and had worked overnight to prepare an application for bail, which was already in process. He urged the judge to release the defendant to him, assuring the court that he would produce him on the next adjourned date.
Justice Oshodi granted the application and ordered that the defendant be released to his counsel upon the filing of an affidavit of undertaking to produce him in court on the next adjourned date.
The case has been adjourned till March 24, 2026, for the commencement of the trial.
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Count one of the charge against the defendant reads
“That you, Sarumi Samusideen Babafemi, while being the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of 606 Autors Limited, 606 Music Limited, and Splash Off Entertainment Limited, conspired with Ismail Mustapha (a.k.a Mompha)now at large, Ridwan Momodu Allison (a.k.a Osama)now at large and Richard Ugbah sometime between 2013 and 2018 in Lagos, within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, used your companies to conceal the origin of funds and thereafter transferred the sum of N37,600,000.00 (Thirty Seven Million, Six Hundred Thousand Naira) to one Omojadesola Shittu Allison, which you knew or reasonably ought to have known that such fund forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act”.
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Count two reads:
“That you, SARUMI SAMUSIDEEN BABAFEMI, while being the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of 606 Autos Limited, 606 Music Limited and Splash Off Entertainment Limited, sometime between 2015 and 2018 in Lagos, within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, used your company’s accounts to conceal the origin of funds and thereafter transferred the sum of N93,000 000.00 (Ninety three Million Naira) to one Olanrewaju Ibrahim Oriyomi, which you knew or reasonably ought to have known that such fund forms part of an unlawful act”.
Reacting to the EFCC report, Mompha, in a post shared on Instagram, slammed the agency for associating him with the arraignment. He described EFCC as the most “useless and corrupt agency” in Nigeria.
